Holmes Stops Pepeli in 5th Round

A series of solid left jabs from Larry Holmes stopped Rocky Pepeli of Burbank in the fifth round of their heavyweight fight Tuesday night.

The bout was stopped at the beginning of the fifth round as Pepeli came out bleeding badly from above the left eye, which had absorbed a number of Holmes’ jabs earlier in the bout .

Holmes, 43, who improved to 56-4, had used a solid jab in the closing seconds of the third round and Pepeli, already with a bloody nose, went to the corner with a slight cut above the left eye.

In the fourth, Pepeli, 28, backed the former heavyweight champion into the ropes and landed a flurry of quick shots to the body. Holmes backed out and taunted Pepeli before landing a series of jabs that led to the end of the fight.

Pepeli is 16-7-1 in his six-year pro career.